Counterfeiting in many parts of the world is a serious issue for many industries. Unfortunately, counterfeiting occurs along the entire distribution chain from the manufacture to the end user. Counterfeited products are usually inferior and, in the case of pharmaceuticals, dangerous for consumption.
Product suppliers have attempted to address this issue by placing watermarks, holograms, specialized inks, or other specialized marks that are hard to replicate on the products' packing to give an end user confidence that they are buying authentic products. However, these specialized marks are often expensive and are not regulated.